Review
Immunology
Katherine Hendricks, Marissa K. Person, John S. Bradley, Thitipong Mongkolrattanothai, Nathaniel Hupert, Peter Eichacker, Arthur M. Friedlander, William A. Bower
Summary: This systematic review examined the clinical and demographic characteristics of adults and children hospitalized with anthrax from 1880 to 2018, finding cutaneous anthrax to be the most common form. Since 1960, adult anthrax mortality has ranged from 31% for cutaneous to 90% for primary meningitis, and advances in treatment and critical care have improved survival rates for patients.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Marissa K. Person, Rachel Cook, John S. Bradley, Nathaniel Hupert, William A. Bower, Katherine Hendricks
Summary: This study reviewed treatment outcomes for anthrax patients and found that combination therapy appeared to be superior to monotherapy for inhalation anthrax without meningitis, while monotherapy was sufficient for localized cutaneous anthrax. Neither monotherapy nor combination therapy were particularly effective for anthrax meningitis, but postexposure prophylaxis with antibiotics was effective for B. anthracis exposures.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Evelyn Lombarte Espinosa, Maria Cruz Villuendas Uson, Jorge Arribas Garcia, Isabel Jado Garcia, Rafael Huarte Lacunza, Paola Zarate Chug, Luis Manuel Claraco Vega, Maria Jesus Santed Andres, Maria Jimenez Rios, Rachel Cook, J. Marc Simard, Anne E. Boyer, Antonio Rezusta
Summary: This report describes the case of a 49-year-old construction worker who acquired a Bacillus anthracis infection after working on a sheep farm. He experienced severe symptoms but responded favorably to antibiotic treatment and fully recovered.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Rui Xiaotian, Wataru Ota, Tohru Sato, Minori Furukori, Yasuo Nakayama, Takuya Hosokai, Eri Hisamura, Kazuhiro Nakamura, Kenshiro Matsuda, Kohei Nakao, Andrew P. Monkman, Ken Albrecht
Summary: A series of carbazole-dendronized TTM radicals were synthesized and their photophysical properties were systematically compared up to the fourth generation to understand the evolution of structure-property relationships. It was found that the photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) increased with generation and the fourth generation (G4TTM) exhibited a high PLQY of 63% at 627 nm in cyclohexane solution. The dendron modification strategy also resulted in a blue-shift of the emission and improved photostability compared to the bare TTM radical.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Review
Immunology
Julie M. Thompson, Rachel Cook, Marissa K. Person, Maria E. Negron, Rita M. Traxler, William A. Bower, Katherine Hendricks
Summary: This article reviews the clinical features of cutaneous anthrax associated with poor outcomes and identifies some previously unrecognized factors related to poor outcomes.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Jorrit Broertjes, Eelco Franz, Ingrid H. M. Friesema, Hugo-Jan Jansen, Frans A. G. Reubsaet, Saskia A. Rutjes, Cornelis Stijnis, Bettie C. G. Voordouw, Maaike C. de Vries, Daan W. Notermans, Martin P. Grobusch
Summary: We provided the incidences of potential bioterrorism agents in the Netherlands from 2009 to 2019. The highest category pathogens from the European Medicines Agency or the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were included. The average annual incidence was calculated using notifiable diseases and recently published data. Coxiella burnetii had the highest incidence due to a Q fever epidemic, but the incidence decreased to 10.8 cases. Pathogens with an incidence >1 included Brucella spp. (2.5 cases), Francisella tularensis (1.3 cases), and Burkholderia pseudomallei (1.1 cases). Pathogens with an incidence <1 were hemorrhagic fever viruses (0.3 cases), Clostridium botulinum (0.2 cases), and Bacillus anthracis (0.1 cases). Variola major and Yersinia pestis were not present. The generally low incidences make it unlikely for ill-meaning persons to isolate these pathogens from natural sources in the Netherlands. However, the presence of these pathogens in laboratories underscores the need for biosecurity measures.
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Vera Cimrova, Drahomir Vyprachticky, Ales Ruzicka, Veronika Pokorna
Summary: This study investigates the photophysical, electrochemical, and electroluminescence (EL) properties of carbazole-fluorene conjugated copolymers with various substituents. The copolymers exhibit intense blue emission in dilute solutions, with the best performance observed in the copolymer with 2-ethylhexyl as the N-carbazole substituent. However, the copolymer with the iridium complex shows lower photoluminescence quantum yield.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Chengjian Chen, Zhenguo Chi, Kok Chan Chong, Andrei S. Batsanov, Zhan Yang, Zhu Mao, Zhiyong Yang, Bin Liu
Summary: Commercial carbazole is commonly used to synthesize organic functional materials. An isomer of carbazole found in commercially produced batches is responsible for the ultralong phosphorescence observed in these compounds and their derivatives.
Article
Chemistry, Organic
Shao-Cong Zhan, Ren-Jie Fang, Jing Sun, Chao-Guo Yan
Summary: The presence of copper sulfate enables the three-component and four-component reactions involving aromatic aldehydes, ethylindole-3-acetate, and various small molecules to proceed efficiently in refluxing toluene, yielding spiro[carbazole-3,4'-pyrazoles] and spiro[carbazole-3,4'-thiazoles] with high diastereoselectivity. The reaction outcomes demonstrate the versatility and potential utility of CuSO4 catalysis in diverse multi-component reactions.
JOURNAL OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Chengjian Chen, Kok Chan Chong, Yutong Pan, Guobin Qi, Shidang Xu, Bin Liu
Summary: Research indicates that the origin of carbazole has a significant impact on the photoluminescence quantum yield of its derivatives. Commercially sourced carbazole activates efficient radiative transition pathways, leading to a substantial increase in quantum yield.
ACS MATERIALS LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Guang Che, Weiting Yang, Cong Wang, Meiling Li, Xinyi Li, Yamin Fu, Qinhe Pan
Summary: The semiconductor-like characteristics and light absorption ability of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) make them potential for photoelectrochemical sensing. In this study, two photosensitive uranyl-organic frameworks (UOFs) named HNU-70 and HNU-71 were synthesized and explored as novel turn-on photoelectrochemical sensors for monitoring dipicolinic acid, a biomarker of anthrax. These sensors exhibited good selectivity, stability, and low detection limits, making them promising for practical applications in physiological environments. Spectroscopic and electrochemical studies revealed that the enhancement of photocurrent resulted from the interaction between dipicolinic acid and UOFs, facilitating the transport of photogenerated electrons.
ANALYTICA CHIMICA ACTA
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Bernard Chege Mugo, Cornelius Lekopien, Maurice Owiny
Summary: An anthrax outbreak occurred in Kisumu East Sub County in Kenya after villagers consumed beef from a cow suspected to have died of anthrax. A survey revealed that the majority of residents had poor knowledge about anthrax, which could hinder prevention and control efforts.
Article
Peripheral Vascular Disease
Lorna M. Cryan, Tsz-Ming Tsang, Jessica Stiles, Lauren Bazinet, Sai Lun Lee, Samuel Garrard, Erika Madrian, Cody Roberts, Jessie Payne, Andrew Jensen, Arthur E. Frankel, P. Christine Ackroyd, Kenneth A. Christensen, Michael S. Rogers
Summary: Anthrax protective antigen (PA) inhibits pathological angiogenesis by interacting with capillary morphogenesis gene 2 (CMG2). Inhibiting CMG2, but not TEM8, reduces growth-factor-induced angiogenesis, highlighting CMG2 as a therapeutic target for inhibiting angiogenesis.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Theresa Hamutyinei Dhliwayo, Prosper Chonzi, Collen Madembo, Tsitsi Patience Juru, Addmore Chadambuka, Notion Tafara Gombe, Silvester Chikerema, Gerald Shambira, Chukwuma David Umeokonkwo, Mufuta Tshimanga
Summary: This study investigated an outbreak of anthrax in Tengwe, Zimbabwe. Through descriptive analysis and a case-control study, eating under-cooked meat was identified as the main risk factor for contracting anthrax. The timely implementation of a one health approach resulted in a successful response to the outbreak.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Xiaolin Yu, Ming Fang, Shuang Wang, Zhong Li, Lixiao Cheng, Zhaoshan Liu, Dandan Zhang, Dandan Dong, Zengqiang Kou
Summary: Through descriptive epidemiological methods and laboratory testing, it was confirmed that the outbreak was a cutaneous anthrax outbreak associated with infected cattle imported from other provinces.
BMC INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Organic
Mary P. Choules, Jonathan Bisson, Wei Gao, David C. Lankin, James B. McAlpine, Matthias Niemitz, Birgit U. Jaki, Scott G. Franzblau, Guido F. Pauli
JOURNAL OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2019)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yu-Chen Yen, Annalissa M. Kammeyer, Katherine C. Jensen, Jagannadharao Tirlangi, Arun K. Ghosh, Andrew D. Mesecar
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Anand Babu Velappan, Dhanunjaya Kesamsetty, Dhrubajyoti Datta, Rui Ma, Natarajan Hari, Scott G. Franzblau, Joy Debnath
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2020)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Andrew M. Thompson, Patrick D. O'Connor, Vanessa Yardley, Louis Maes, Delphine Launay, Stephanie Braillard, Eric Chatelain, Baojie Wan, Scott G. Franzblau, Zhenkun Ma, Christopher B. Cooper, William A. Denny
Summary: Antitubercular compounds with 7-substituted 2-nitroimidazo[2,1-b]-[1,3]oxazines have shown potent antileishmanial and antitrypanosomal activities. Through exploring different analogues, O-carbamate 66 was identified to have a good balance of increased solubility, suitable metabolic stability, excellent oral bioavailability, and strong in vivo efficacy against visceral leishmaniasis in a mouse model.
ACS MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yu-Chen Yen, Annalissa M. Kammeyer, Jagannadharao Tirlangi, Arun K. Ghosh, Andrew D. Mesecar
Summary: This study developed a platform to produce large amounts of pure BACE2 protein and designed compounds that selectively inhibit BACE1 over BACE2. The research findings could lead to the quicker development of new selective BACE inhibitors for treating Alzheimer's disease or type II diabetes.
ACS CHEMICAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Arun K. Ghosh, Jakka Raghavaiah, Dana Shahabi, Monika Yadav, Brandon J. Anson, Emma K. Lendy, Shin-ichiro Hattori, Nobuyo Higashi-Kuwata, Hiroaki Mitsuya, Andrew D. Mesecar
Summary: This study investigated the synthesis, structure-activity relationship, enzyme inhibition, antiviral activity, and X-ray crystallographic studies of 5-chloropyridinyl indole carboxylate derivatives as potent SARS-CoV-2 chymotrypsin-like protease inhibitors. Compound 1 demonstrated strong inhibitory and antiviral activity, comparable to Remdesivir. Compound 7d showed the most potent enzyme inhibitory activity. X-ray crystal structures of compounds 2, 7b, and 9d bound to SARS-CoV 3CLpro were determined to provide molecular insight into their binding properties.
JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
George Minasov, Monica Rosas-Lemus, Ludmilla Shuvalova, Nicole L. Inniss, Joseph S. Brunzelle, Courtney M. Daczkowski, Paul Hoover, Andrew D. Mesecar, Karla J. F. Satchell
Summary: Methylation of viral mRNA caps is essential for translation efficiency, virus replication, and evasion of host cell innate immune responses. The SARS-CoV-2 2'-O-methyltransferase reaction requires divalent cations, preferably Mn2+, and a coronavirus-specific four-residue insert. The unique insert in coronavirus nsp16 alters the capped RNA conformation, making it a potential target for designing selective coronavirus inhibitors.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Samadhi C. Kulathunga, Nicolas M. Morato, Qing Zhou, R. Graham Cooks, Andrew D. Mesecar
Summary: A novel label-free assay based on high-throughput DESI-MS and a fluorometric coupled-enzyme method were developed for quantitation and kinetic analysis of the sulfonation reaction catalyzed by SULT2B1b. Both methods provided consistent kinetic data and indicated the affinity trend of SULT2B1b with its substrates. The DESI-MS assay has promising potential for identifying SULT2B1b inhibitors as prostate cancer therapeutics and can be applied to other drug discovery efforts.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Hamish S. S. Sutherland, Guo-Liang Lu, Amy S. T. G. Tong, Daniel M. Conole, Scott G. U. Franzblau, Anna B. Upton, Manisha U. D. Lotlikar, Christopher B. J. Cooper, Brian D. A. Palmer, Peter J. Choi, William A. Denny
Summary: This study reports tetrahydronaphthalene amides (THNAs) as a new class of ATP synthase inhibitors that effectively inhibit the growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb). The design, synthesis, and structure-activity relationship studies of THNA analogues were conducted, and several compounds with potent in vitro M.tb growth inhibition were identified. Pharmacokinetic and off-target profiling studies were also performed to evaluate the potential of these THNAs as therapeutic options for TB.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Rodrigo Villanueva-Silva, Patricia Velez, Meritxell Riquelme, Carlos A. Fajardo-Hernandez, Anahi Martinez-Cardenas, Alejandra Arista-Romero, Baojie Wan, Rui Ma, Mallique Qader, Scott G. Franzblau, Mario Figueroa
Summary: This study isolated and cultivated 29 fungal strains from deep-sea sediments of the Gulf of Mexico, exploring their chemical diversity and antimicrobial potential under different temperature and light conditions. Analysis of LC-MS data revealed that culture temperature is the primary factor influencing the variation of metabolite features. Additionally, bioactivity-guided and conventional chemical studies identified several active and specialized metabolites from selected fungal strains, demonstrating the biosynthetic potential of these marine-derived fungi.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Walajapet Rajeswaran, Shireen R. Ashkar, Pil H. Lee, Larisa Yeomans, Yeonoh Shin, Scott G. Franzblau, Katsuhiko S. Murakami, Hollis D. Showalter, George A. Garcia
Summary: In this study, novel benzoxazinorifamycins (bxRIF) were synthesized and tested for their anti-tuberculosis activity. One of the analogues (27a) showed excellent in vitro and in vivo activity against both drug-sensitive and drug-resistant tuberculosis strains. These findings suggest that 27a may be a promising candidate for improving tuberculosis treatment.
ACS INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Shireen R. Ashkar, Walajapet Rajeswaran, Pil H. Lee, Larisa Yeomans, Claire M. Thrasher, Scott G. Franzblau, Katsuhiko S. Murakami, Hollis D. Showalter, George A. Garcia
Summary: Tuberculosis is a major global health problem, and current treatments are outdated. Researchers have used a structure-based drug design approach to synthesize and test benzoxazinorifamycins (bxRIFs), finding that some compounds have improved potency and shorter treatment durations. This study demonstrates that the ansamycin core remains an attractive and effective scaffold for novel and improved rifamycins.
ACS INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jidong Zhang, Christine Lair, Christine Roubert, Kwame Amaning, Maria Belen Barrio, Yannick Benedetti, Zhicheng Cui, Zhongliang Xing, Xiaojun Li, Scott G. Franzblau, Nicolas Baurin, Florence Bordon-Pallier, Cathy Cantalloube, Stephanie Sans, Sandra Silve, Isabelle Blanc, Laurent Fraisse, Alexey Rak, Lasse B. Jenner, Gulnara Yusupova, Marat Yusupov, Junjie Zhang, Takushi Kaneko, T. J. Yang, Nader Fotouhi, Eric Nuermberger, Sandeep Tyagi, Fabrice Betoudji, Anna Upton, James C. Sacchettini, Sophie Lagrange
Summary: A series of macrolides called sequanamycins have been discovered, showing outstanding activity against drug-resistant tuberculosis. The lead compound SEQ-9 exhibited efficacy as a single agent and in combination with other TB drugs in mouse models. These findings support further investigation of sequanamycins as potential clinical candidates against drug-resistant TB.
Article
Plant Sciences
Bhuwan Khatri Chhetri, Riya Bhanushali, Yifan Liang, Marisa R. . Cepeda, Adi Kula Niradininoco, Katy Soapi, Baojie Wan, Mallique Qader, Scot t G. Franzblau, Julia Kubanek
Summary: Tuberculosis is a global health threat, and the development of novel antibiotics with unique mechanisms of action is crucial due to the limited treatment options and the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains. In this study, a compound called duryne was isolated from a marine sponge and showed potential antitubercular activity. Additionally, several new and known compounds were also characterized, providing insights into potential drug candidates for the treatment of tuberculosis.
JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Chee Wei Ang, Brendon M. Lee, Colin J. Jackson, Yuehong Wang, Scott G. Franzblau, Amanda F. Francisco, John M. Kelly, Paul Bernhardt, Lendl Tan, Nicholas P. West, Melissa L. Sykes, Alexandra O. Hinton, Raghu Bolisetti, Vicky M. Avery, Matthew A. Cooper, Mark A. T. Blaskovich
Summary: Tuberculosis and parasitic infections pose a significant threat to public health and economic growth worldwide. This study explores a new subclass of bicyclic nitroimidazole compounds and their potential as treatments for tuberculosis and Chagas disease, demonstrating promising results in vitro and in vivo.
JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
